Earlsdon_Skyblue1
Well-Known Member
Given that it is another international break, why not break down our new signings and discuss them...
I have no doubts this will be overwhelmingly positive!
Haji Wright - 4/10: Scored a few goals, yes. Cost a fortune, yes. Should be doing better? Undoubtedly yes. The application seems a bit mixed, and for a player of his build you would expect more physicality. Instead he just seems like a bit of a pussy. I know for that price a lot of people expect some sort of Gyökeres replacement, which might be a bridge slightly too far, but you would expect some sort of stand out ability, yet he doesn't look even close to that at the moment. I still think he can contribute something decent, but so far he has been disappointing for me.
Ellis Simms: - 4/10: Scored in only one game this season. For me this is where I wonder moreover how much the problem with our new players is down to the management. He seems to be trying to make things happen, maybe even been a bit unlucky so far, but it just hasn't really been clicking. His fee is still very high too, which I think gets mitigated because Wright cost so much, but I would also be expecting more from him. The return so far has been poor.
Liam Kitching - 5/10: Hasn't played a lot, so it is quite hard to score him. I guess the first place you start again is to look at the return versus the cost. An astronomical fee at this current moment in time, which also works against him. I think he has looked relatively good at times, and against Stoke was part of the team that kept a clean sheet. Think he will probably be strong for us as time goes on, and I like that aggression. Worth the cost we paid though? Hard to justify at this very moment.
Milan van Ewijk - 5/10: Has had moments where he looked very good early on (the first game aside if I recall), hence the appreciation thread. That said, he seems to have regressed and doesn't look stand out at all. One of the highest rated defenders in the Dutch league, yet there would be a genuine debate at the moment whether you would actually start him. Another ridiculous situation given the 4+ million euros we paid for him. The Dutch league isn't great, but even so, he has the attributes you would think would add something better than what a lot of other teams have, but so far doesn't seem to have been the case. Also has a long throw that Robins refuses to use. Hopefully he will bounce back.
Bobby Thomas - 6/10: I think he's actually been pretty good. Certainly a lot better than some of the names listed above. Made a few mistakes, yes, but I think he'll iron those out after time. Seems to be some kind of threat from set pieces, which is almost unheard of for us, but hasn't really made that count for much yet either. Wouldn't be surprised to see him play most weeks going forwards.
Tatsuhiro Sakamoto - 5/10: No idea how to score him. Seems to be high intensity and certainly works his arse off, but where does he fit in? I have no idea. For several million you would also expect some sort of end product, but that hasn't come yet. Not being used correctly by the manager in my view either, and Robins also seems unable to give the lad any praise when he's been good too, which to me at least seems quite strange. Would probably be rated lower if it wasn't for the fact he tries so hard.
Brad Collins - 5/10: Gone straight down the middle due to the fact he's played next to no minutes at all and it would be unfair to go too high or low. Looked comfortable against Stoke, which is good, but I am still unsure the justification in signing him given that we have two other goalkeepers. Of course, that might all make sense if he keeps the number one spot and plays well throughout time. I suppose my questions would be more towards the goalkeeping situation as a whole.
Jay Dasilva - 5/10: I have to say I am baffled as to how he has been golden boy all season. Until the last game Bidwell hasn't had a look in, and for what? Another one where Robins has reacted late, and the results proved themselves in the last game. Bidwell a breath of fresh air and man of the match by a country mile. JDS I think has some relatively decent attributes, but they seem to come in flashes. Was playing as a wing back and seems to also have next to no end product. Suspect defending at times too.
Joel Latibeaudiere - 7/10: Would go as far as to say he's been our best new signing, and he was free, which makes it slightly comical. Pretty strong and capable. Can play in a few different positions, but if we stay in a back four, which I think we should - he will do alright at RB. Where that leaves MvE, I have no idea.
Yasin Ayari - 4/10: Looks out of his depth. Been picked and played at times which have also confused me. Can be alright on the ball and has some skill, but off it he looks like a complete passenger. Not something you want from a midfielder. I don't think it is as extreme as he should be going back to Brighton in January, but from what I have seen so far I would only be using him sparingly until we see some signs of improvement.
Luis Binks - 7/10: Another one of the better signings on performances so far, but has had to really work to get into the team. Also adds to the circus giving that he was free (on loan, I know), but looks capable to me. Would certainly want to see him play regularly from what I have seen so far.
I know a lot of people are concerned about the recruitment, but I actually think we do have some good players in here. They aren't all terrible, although it is easy to think that when you balance the cost versus the return on many of them. Amazingly the cheaper or free signings seem to be some of our best. You would expect the higher money signings to have some more positive impact quicker, yet they seem to be struggling. The fact they aren't playing that well is troubling. The system? The management? Struggling to settle? Maybe a combination. I think we will get better, but many of my questions for me at the moment sit more with the management than anywhere else.
Will be interesting to revisit this thread at the end of the season and see how we progress. Hopefully some of these scores get higher!
I have no doubts this will be overwhelmingly positive!
Haji Wright - 4/10: Scored a few goals, yes. Cost a fortune, yes. Should be doing better? Undoubtedly yes. The application seems a bit mixed, and for a player of his build you would expect more physicality. Instead he just seems like a bit of a pussy. I know for that price a lot of people expect some sort of Gyökeres replacement, which might be a bridge slightly too far, but you would expect some sort of stand out ability, yet he doesn't look even close to that at the moment. I still think he can contribute something decent, but so far he has been disappointing for me.
Ellis Simms: - 4/10: Scored in only one game this season. For me this is where I wonder moreover how much the problem with our new players is down to the management. He seems to be trying to make things happen, maybe even been a bit unlucky so far, but it just hasn't really been clicking. His fee is still very high too, which I think gets mitigated because Wright cost so much, but I would also be expecting more from him. The return so far has been poor.
Liam Kitching - 5/10: Hasn't played a lot, so it is quite hard to score him. I guess the first place you start again is to look at the return versus the cost. An astronomical fee at this current moment in time, which also works against him. I think he has looked relatively good at times, and against Stoke was part of the team that kept a clean sheet. Think he will probably be strong for us as time goes on, and I like that aggression. Worth the cost we paid though? Hard to justify at this very moment.
Milan van Ewijk - 5/10: Has had moments where he looked very good early on (the first game aside if I recall), hence the appreciation thread. That said, he seems to have regressed and doesn't look stand out at all. One of the highest rated defenders in the Dutch league, yet there would be a genuine debate at the moment whether you would actually start him. Another ridiculous situation given the 4+ million euros we paid for him. The Dutch league isn't great, but even so, he has the attributes you would think would add something better than what a lot of other teams have, but so far doesn't seem to have been the case. Also has a long throw that Robins refuses to use. Hopefully he will bounce back.
Bobby Thomas - 6/10: I think he's actually been pretty good. Certainly a lot better than some of the names listed above. Made a few mistakes, yes, but I think he'll iron those out after time. Seems to be some kind of threat from set pieces, which is almost unheard of for us, but hasn't really made that count for much yet either. Wouldn't be surprised to see him play most weeks going forwards.
Tatsuhiro Sakamoto - 5/10: No idea how to score him. Seems to be high intensity and certainly works his arse off, but where does he fit in? I have no idea. For several million you would also expect some sort of end product, but that hasn't come yet. Not being used correctly by the manager in my view either, and Robins also seems unable to give the lad any praise when he's been good too, which to me at least seems quite strange. Would probably be rated lower if it wasn't for the fact he tries so hard.
Brad Collins - 5/10: Gone straight down the middle due to the fact he's played next to no minutes at all and it would be unfair to go too high or low. Looked comfortable against Stoke, which is good, but I am still unsure the justification in signing him given that we have two other goalkeepers. Of course, that might all make sense if he keeps the number one spot and plays well throughout time. I suppose my questions would be more towards the goalkeeping situation as a whole.
Jay Dasilva - 5/10: I have to say I am baffled as to how he has been golden boy all season. Until the last game Bidwell hasn't had a look in, and for what? Another one where Robins has reacted late, and the results proved themselves in the last game. Bidwell a breath of fresh air and man of the match by a country mile. JDS I think has some relatively decent attributes, but they seem to come in flashes. Was playing as a wing back and seems to also have next to no end product. Suspect defending at times too.
Joel Latibeaudiere - 7/10: Would go as far as to say he's been our best new signing, and he was free, which makes it slightly comical. Pretty strong and capable. Can play in a few different positions, but if we stay in a back four, which I think we should - he will do alright at RB. Where that leaves MvE, I have no idea.
Yasin Ayari - 4/10: Looks out of his depth. Been picked and played at times which have also confused me. Can be alright on the ball and has some skill, but off it he looks like a complete passenger. Not something you want from a midfielder. I don't think it is as extreme as he should be going back to Brighton in January, but from what I have seen so far I would only be using him sparingly until we see some signs of improvement.
Luis Binks - 7/10: Another one of the better signings on performances so far, but has had to really work to get into the team. Also adds to the circus giving that he was free (on loan, I know), but looks capable to me. Would certainly want to see him play regularly from what I have seen so far.
I know a lot of people are concerned about the recruitment, but I actually think we do have some good players in here. They aren't all terrible, although it is easy to think that when you balance the cost versus the return on many of them. Amazingly the cheaper or free signings seem to be some of our best. You would expect the higher money signings to have some more positive impact quicker, yet they seem to be struggling. The fact they aren't playing that well is troubling. The system? The management? Struggling to settle? Maybe a combination. I think we will get better, but many of my questions for me at the moment sit more with the management than anywhere else.
Will be interesting to revisit this thread at the end of the season and see how we progress. Hopefully some of these scores get higher!
